Herald staff
Apparently some wrestlers were silly enough to talk a little smack before their matches with Lake Stevens’ Burke Barnes at the Mat Classic on Friday and Saturday.
Barnes said his final two opponents – Adam Thiessen of Auburn-Riverside and Mickey Elliott of Spanaway Lake – wanted to let Barnes know it wouldn’t be easy.
They were wrong.
Neither lasted a minute with Barnes, who took each down quickly and pinned them both to win the Class 4A 125-pound state title. It was Barnes fourth straight state championship.
“I was ready to do something to end all the talk that had been going on the past week,” said Barnes, who formed his hands to look like pistols and pointed them at the Tacoma Dome roof after finishing off Elliott in the title bout.
Barnes paced the mat before his final high school match with a near-crazed look.
The looked disappeared for a moment when he stopped to say something to a Spanaway Lake cheerleader at the side of the mat. Then the look returned.
“I think that might have been a little more of a show than anything else,” said Lake Stevens coach Brent Barnes, smiling. “I like him a little more relaxed. You wouldn’t want him to go out there and run out of gas. Because you can do that, especially with all the nervous energy floating around.”
It’s pretty hard to run out of gas in 52 seconds.
Lake Stevens’ Carnell signs: Midfielder Amy Carnell has signed an NCAA letter of intent to play college soccer for the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. The two-time all-Western Conference first team selection helped Lake Stevens win its first-ever district championship in 2000. She also played Premier I soccer for the Stellarz Nationals and led the state in scoring. Her older brothers Clint Carnell (Duke) and Matt Carnell (Washington) also played college soccer.
Winter academic champs: The South Whidbey girls basketball team has won the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association 2A academic state championship with a 3.832 team grade point average. Other winter sports academic champions included:
Cheer – 4A Sumner, 3A Bellingham, 2A Hoquiam, A Rainier, B Almira-Coulee-Hartline.
Girls basketball – 4A Sumner, 3A Ellensburg, A Brewster, B Pateros.
Boys basketball – 4A University, 3A Kelso, 2A Connell, A Colfax, B Day Star Christian.
Boys swimming – 4A Wenatchee, 3A Liberty.
Girls bowling – 4A Wilson, 3A Black Hills.
Wrestling – 4A Wilson, 3A O’Dea, 2A Meridian, A White Pass, B Mary Walker.
Gymnastics – 4A Bothell, 3A Sammamish.
Dance and drill – 4A Federal Way, 3A Newport, A Royal.
Sportsmanship awards: The Snohomish County Basketball Officials Association has announced its sportsmanship awards for the 2001-2002 season. The player of the year is Marcus Steele of Stanwood. The coach of the year is Len Bone of Snohomish. The facility of the year is South Whidbey.
Runnersup for the player award included Sam Wertheimer of Everett, Chris Grounds of Kamiak, Marcus Hansen of Cascade and Anthony Porter of Lynnwood.
Runnersup for the coach award were Nate DuChesne of Stanwood, Jeff Bryson of Darrington, Eddie Mascari of Jackson, Brett Willey of Monroe, Darrell Olson of Everett and Steve Redamen of the Lake Stevens JV.
Facility runnersup were Stanwood, Snohomish, Everett and Lake Stevens.
Sister act: Rachel and Becca Crossen of Everett played together for the first time in a Seagulls’ varsity game Friday. Rachel, a sophomore, had played previously for the varsity, but Friday’s season finale was freshman Becca’s first appearance.
Oldest and greatest: Edmonds resident Ed Aliverti, who has been the voice of the state wrestling tournament since 1964, likes to remind the Mat Classic crowd that wrestling is “The world’s oldest and greatest sport.” Though Aliverti shares announcing duties with two others these days, he still fits in those words as often as he can. The unofficial Herald count for the two days was 21. Aliverti, who is a member of the Washington Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame is an icon among the wrestling community. His annual emotional rendition of “America the Beautiful” prior to Saturday’s championship bouts is unlike any other.
Mat Classic tidbits: Snohomish wrestling coach Mark Perry was honored as the Class 4A Sportsmanship Coach of the Year Saturday…. A record 32,914 fans attended Mat Classic during the two-day tournament…. Fans’ bags were not checked a they entered the Tacoma Dome, though there were signs prohibiting weapons…. Moses Lake won a team title for the 17th time in state tournaments’ 49-year history. The Chiefs have finished second 11 times…. How big is wrestling in Moses Lake? A Moses Lake Radio station broadcast live from the Tacoma Dome both days.
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